"I've been to over 300 schools with our play for kids and teens!" - Children and Books PodCast

00:00:00: Billy Talent yeah welcome to the children and books podcast.

00:00:09: It's officially dead.

00:00:11: 11 episode and today with Roger and wonderful guest it's a Sheffield indoor Stephanie from Berlin from Germany and she's an actress and voice.

00:00:25: Hello.

00:00:28: Hello stefy I like to invite invite I like to say hello to you too from like and I'm very pleased that you are

00:00:39: today's a guest in our post cost for me it's interesting that we found,

00:00:44: each other on Facebook I think it was my first contact which I found this way

00:00:51: and I found your picture so sympathetic that I asked you if you are doing something for children and when you

00:01:01: search me yes and then I asked if you would like to be our guest to the weekend,

00:01:07: see what you are doing it's quite amazing is I'm really happy that you invited me to your podcast.

00:01:17: Yes and we have seen in a little in a little talk then that we have got similar roots.

00:01:26: Yes indeed.

00:01:32: Because I'm Lois or piano I know what I'm now I'm upper sorbian yeah you were lower Serbian woman yes they are very close to each other and we have got the same and the same

00:01:49: I think the same traditions yes that's right yeah same legendaries.

00:01:55: It may be looks like a little bit maybe you can and introduce yourself for our listeners yes of course so

00:02:05: hello everybody my name is Stephanie I'm living in Berlin I'm an actress and voice artist like go

00:02:14: thank you already said I study drama in Berlin and I'm working at theatre standing Studios.

00:02:25: So you have got I think you have got a lot of things you do is not just one giant that's right.

00:02:34: Try to keep it simple.

00:02:39: Yeah but maybe you would like a little bit too I would like to ask you how was your experience you told us before that you that you have been in company Theatre for young people

00:02:54: maybe you can tell us some sing about it yes that's right it was a touring company,

00:03:01: chords that I'm unlikely to express which is.

00:03:06: Also today based environment so we played Theatre pieces all over Germany so I think I did Modern over 300 shows four.

00:03:19: And pieces about bullying and school or smartphone Addiction eating disorders yes topics like that drugs alcohol and son.

00:03:35: That's really interesting Stefan she's do you take these shows around to schools for young people.

00:03:43: Yeah so we played directly in the schools after children it was the idea of that a lot of schools don't have.

00:03:52: How much money to take 13 of four classes in a bastard and drive to the next big theatre to next week down and is it a lot of theatres

00:04:06: desert.

00:04:08: Have the possibility to do this this prevention work in the way of today we're talking about bullying in school today we're talking about

00:04:18: drugs and alcohol problems so they are doing stuff like goods or Sheila or.

00:04:26: Modern madam PS4 for young people but mostly they are not really connected to the young people today and what they are experienced in wasn't in their daily life.

00:04:41: So it's really important that you're addressing today's social issues with.

00:04:48: Young people and issues that they have lived experiences of.

00:04:58: Can you repeat this I didn't understand your question I'll sorry I was just I was just commenting really that it's it's really important rather than

00:05:09: presenting them with with drama maybe that's connected to what they're learning the curriculum.

00:05:17: But you're presenting them with drama at addresses the current social issues that they are experiencing.

00:05:26: Yes yes I think it's also important that they said they're going to the theatre and see you for example that something like that.

00:05:37: I experienced during that time I work for the train company that the children were really really grateful to see those pieces because of that

00:05:50: some discussions after the play.

00:05:57: And they talked a lot to us and they talked about their own problems and their own experiences and after the place they always came and say something like a,

00:06:11: I think it was the most interesting thing I've ever saw never go to the theatre in infuse,

00:06:18: this was always really really great for us how do how do the young people engage with the with the.

00:06:28: Discussion afterwards and do you do workshops with them as well.

00:06:34: We had those discussions with them and they.

00:06:41: Santa's at the Beginning when we started this we always thought oh my goodness stay,

00:06:49: I won't say anything they won't say a word to us cos we are maybe it's a bit strange for them to stand up and speaking in front of,

00:06:59: big Hardy and salmon sometimes they were there were 150 students in one show sewing,

00:07:07: yes especially for teenagers it's not there.

00:07:11: The coolest thing to stand up and say something intelligent front upgrade audience and half of them are their friends so I did that so great so title

00:07:26: the told us about their experiences as their opinions about the peace and.

00:07:34: It was always a really great experience to talk with.

00:07:41: And awesome Masefield b r,

00:07:47: with a left for that top you got the feeling that you doing something important and that you move something inside of the of the children.

00:07:58: Yes.

00:08:02: Listen to do something you give something to the future because they are the future yes of course.

00:08:11: And that really you we were willy able to touch them.

00:08:17: And to connect with them and that was great.

00:08:23: But even if they came afterwards if they came to ask them say yellow theatre school I think they're just coming out.

00:08:33: That was amazing cause a lot of them told us a day always.

00:08:38: Went to the theatre in the German classes are sewing in.

00:08:44: It was boring for them and of course we know the classical Theatre pieces from our study and.

00:08:53: Yeah and I was always saying like yeah I know it is hard to stuff going through yeah but they're like this.

00:09:03: Yeah this prevention work very much so yeah they really appreciate it.

00:09:09: And the other important thing I guess is about bringing these issues into the open so that they can be talked about.

00:09:20: Yeah yes yes especially when it comes to the eating disorder problem it was really really important to talk about this problem because we remember it a lot of,

00:09:34: of classes where the students told us that they have one or two girls as classmates that are in the hospital right now and will try to have a from this order

00:09:48: so badly

00:09:51: also met a lot of people when we were playing the bullying topic or the online addiction topic we always told the teachers about our eating disorder please it was a wonderful please really important topic and it was really good story and,

00:10:09: what day were telling us was that.

00:10:14: Very often we hear something like we're here in Woolwich we don't have such problems here,

00:10:23: they're like yeah but they're only problems which which are present in cities in big cities but not the countryside.

00:10:35: And of course there are also problems in small towns of cars.

00:10:45: Yes I think that's that's one of the key things that that the Arts bring to their audiences it's a kind of recognition and

00:10:55: giving permission to talk about things that perhaps they felt uncomfortable about talking about or the,

00:11:04: with denying that were there maybe they they kind of might of you,

00:11:09: thought that there was a they might have had a hint of it but they prefer,

00:11:15: to too kind of sweepers sweep it away and not think about it but bye.

00:11:22: Creating you know a drama about it.

00:11:27: Then it's giving a permission giving a voice so I think that's really important is not particularly for young people.

00:11:37: Yes yes and yes,

00:11:42: the source smartphone addiction or online addiction or story was so important for us to speak to speak about it with the students afterwards and was so stressing chasm,

00:11:57: always ask them what do you think what is the right age to get the first smartphone and they always said something like everything's 13 or 14 would be ok,

00:12:08: ok and lots of them where match younger.

00:12:14: So they were read 10 or 9 or so and when we asked them up

00:12:20: what is the reason to get your first smartphone and when we played in Bavaria also weather.

00:12:29: The weather the.

00:12:32: The the Highschool of the after children is in the next town so they have have to take the bus to you when they have to take the bank to get to the next town until the school.

00:12:46: There was always the answer it you had to tell my parents that I'm ok that I arrived safely or that I missed the bus why they want to have an smartphone in the smaller towns.

00:13:01: Bus.

00:13:06: Yeah that is really interesting and what are the things that kids say to me because I I work with some of these kids who might have these problems.

00:13:18: One of the things that they say is that they like that they can't have their phone on when they are in a session with me.

00:13:27: And the I also don't have my phone on,

00:13:30: and it's it's that we put our phones away we both you know we but we both do that and from from quite young children I quite often hear them say I just want my mum or my dad to turn the phone off.

00:13:44: So you can understand how,

00:13:48: how relationships can dove suffer from you know from the use of phone until the addiction to phones that you can't actually no he's mine you can't put it down it's always there in Ireland,

00:14:02: I'm talking to you but if my phone goes will I then pick it up and don't look at it.

00:14:08: Yes and they are noticing you noticing so much also with younger younger siblings,

00:14:15: so I thought it was about a young girl who really freaked out when the mother took away her smartphone and a lot of those children told us oh yeah I know that from my run out on my younger sister so

00:14:30: they're really connected to the topic and they they also said they are really annoyed of such behaviour but.

00:14:40: I was also interested and you said the kids on the countryside that said they wanted to text their parent and I was interested what did the in the city I told you

00:14:54: on this on this question.

00:14:59: There was more of the using of social media I think they're having WhatsApp because of the WhatsApp group chats so there.

00:15:10: I think in the city there was much more pressure for it for the young people so.

00:15:19: We are asking you about a problem that if they don't have WhatsApp if they don't have Facebook or Instagram or I don't know they they really have a problem 22B Park

00:15:32: for example the class cos everyone is communicating via a wire social media WhatsApp and there's a moose topics.

00:15:43: So um yeah it was really problem for them so yeah,

00:15:51: yeah they have to make a choice on the one hand I have friends and also the smartphone have to to be.

00:16:06: Addicted like on it or on the other end I have no smartphone but there's also a friend problem in in school so it may happen that I will be really really long.

00:16:18: Yeah that's a really she isn't it about being included and that sense of being being part of something or not being part of something particularly for kids and for young people.

00:16:30: Yes but also they they told us about that the whole WhatsApp group chat for young people is also really,

00:16:39: is can be a real problem that they are inviting their classmates to bully them to send them pictures to talk bad about them so that they are noticing that they know they're talking about them so,

00:16:54: the smartphone topic is really really complicated everything and even more because.

00:17:03: My generation just started to to learn the use of smartphones and now we pretend that our kids are able to do that.

00:17:14: Even the adults can't so yeah I don't get too real.

00:17:22: But it doesn't help to say is I was a child there was no tell no no smartphone we don't need to think about it because it's a topic now it's a part of everyday life.

00:17:34: So we need to find ways yes visit definitely we also set when we talk to the children it's not about taking the smartphones away and we have to find good way for use use it.

00:17:50: Yeah.

00:17:52: Today today a year today I need to say I think the time is gone for the first I think we need to to,

00:18:01: to Heaven you recording again about the other topics because it's so interesting to talk to girls what do you think.

00:18:11: Yeah I think I think the time has come but again such a lonely talk.

00:18:19: Yeah yeah yeah and it's good to have some time to tutor details off a question.

00:18:29: Yeah yeah definitely.

00:18:33: Thought I would say thank you so much the fee or Stephanie that you today have been our best that you've been so open to speak about uh Xperia young people and the theatre you have.

00:18:48: Thank you Rachel to be out thank you for being a part of us I wish you a nice day.

00:18:57: Let's go to the theatre again and he of.

00:19:08: Music.